Pivot joint



, March 4, 1930. R, BERlNGER 1,749,311

PIVOT JOINT Filed June 30, 1927 attorno/g5 "w the nnounting j `forming.r:the Vsubjectmatter ,Y `rPaternal Mar. 4, r1930 nosooE `BERTIvana,,orVnnTnoIT, iirIiimerAiv,A AssIGNoR' To' GENERAL MoTons oon- Y PoRATIoN,ork ,DETRoIn MICHIGAN, A ycoRronATIoN or DELAWARE l PATENT OFFICE IIvoTJOINT i n spiieamrmeaziuheso,

, 1' Thisinvention relates i to .pivot yjoints and particularly '.to AaAnoveland improved lconstruction :for mounting; a I vehicle v.chassisframeupony a ,load supporting spring. y'

n .An yobject ofthe invention istok providel ay simpleidevice whichywill be economical to manufacture and install, efficient infuse andunlikely togetoutof repair. 1 c

A furtherobj ect of theinvention sto pro-l Vide ya iiexiblenon-,metallic connection -between the parts, for thezpurpose ofeliminati-ng frictional metalliccontact and Aobviating thefcustomaryiproblems of lubrication j and'necessity for frequent careandattention,

and y,which also servesas a 'cushion for reducing-'the :effects ofxroad`shocks and vibrationsx c yOther incidental objects and featuresl ofvadvantage'will be I apparent fronrthe .following ispecilication, .taken,iny connectionwth the faccompanyingrdrawing yillustrating a'preferredembodiment of the invention,r :and wherein, liigurek 1 is; aside elevation ofi a lvehi- Cleasprin'g, supporting the front portion:of a 'chassisrame upon the iaxle, .and 'employing hereof; Figure 2 isy averticalsectional view esor .of Vthefmountz'ulg', andFgure; 3 .is a,side elevation off ,portions yofthe joint before assembly,f;one of 4,theparts `beingvshnwnwin'slightly j modifiedjform.' u g ,Referrillg morefzparticularly to tlie draw? y'ingrthe:referencecharacterilzindicatesasemiellipticalmulti-leaf Springmounted at a "central point-on thejroad. aXle'Z, andl 4connected at 1opposite. ends with the chassis; :frame sill dito-flexibly supportitheload'onthe axle,

The connections between the twospring ends f f and lthe ychassisframe`member, with which ythe .present invention is lconcerned areAsubstantiallythe Lsame in Aeach instance.

f-Inthefcaseof ,the frontend or` drive connection, the extremity of theuppermost or v :longdeaf of theispring il, is bent or turned 'es ,downaskat 4f, -and carriesv clamping members or plates fand I6 ysecuredthereto yby a 'bolt 7 having the nut=8 screw threaded there,-

K4on. y, Similar clamping members areprovided .on the end of thedown'turnedhorn-of the 4chassis gfframe ,member kor longitudinal sill 1927;'serial No. 202,658.

3. In ythis case, the .frame member 3 is of channelledshape in crosssection. The bracket 9 is'bolted or riveted within the channel f and isprovided with an 'end wall 10, which .associated respectively with theyframe and spring, have flared or outwardly curved mouth-portions whichaord oppositely disposed cavities in which is located an elongatedcylindrical roll or core 14, of rubber or other similar non-compressibleelastic material held between a pair of flexible but inextensibleornon-stretchable straps -15-1, of suitable materialsuch as fabric,prefer# ably` rubber impregnated. Medial portions of the straps arepreferably integrally securedfto portions of the periphery of the rubbercore orblock 14,-, as by vulcanization or the like. Before assembly,asshown in Figure 3, these straps do not completely envelop the core,but asmall space is `left between the end .portions of the straps. Uponinstallation,the bolts 7 and 11 extend, through and draw the oppositeend portions of the straps together, between the clamping surfaces onthe spring and frame respectively, and serve 'to place the rubber core14 under initial pressure. The degree of initial pressure will begoverned by the character and the elasticity ofthe core aswell as theload to be supported, so as to insure a stable and firm joint 'but onewhich will still have a suiiicient amount of yield for the purposeshereof. In some instances, the material ofthe core will be such as tomake it desirable to employ a core having portions cut away, or a hollowcore as shown at 14ea in Figure 3, in order tov increase responsivenessto deformation. In use,'frel`ative,movement of the axle and framedeflects the vehicle spring and the joint allows both `a 'slightlylongitudinal movement and an axial movement of the spring end withrespect to the frame sill, through flexure of the straps and deformationofthe core. In order to `obviaterough or sharp edges and the danger ofcutting or. weakening the threads of the fabric straps, 'the flaredmouth portions of the clamping surfaces have their edges v ment ofthemedial portions of the strip7 sur-i rounded or curved as kat 16. o

At the rear end of the spring'the angle bracket 9 is bolted or' rivetedto the outsideof the frame ymember 3 and yis provided with a dependentportion lO adording a surface against which the plate 13 clamps at upperends of the straps V15. The lower ends of the straps are vheld between*clamping members 5 and (3 carried on the `upturned extremity,V 4 of theuppermost leaf ofthe spring 'Inv order that this rear shacklemayhave'more freedom of movement thanis permitted at the Afrontor driveconnection, to accommodate to a greater degree longitudinal'extensionofthe spring upon deflection the clamping 'members for the upper andlowerends of the straps do not approach each other to the .same extentas those at the front end of the spring7 with the result that theconfinerounding the core 14', is materially reduced. While the devicehas been described kin terms more or less specific, it is to beunderstood ythat the invention is not limited Vto` exact details shown,but that such modifica-V tions may be made as come within `the scope oftheappended claims. l t v Having described my invention, I claim 1LAcompression joint for-supporting the Weight ofone part to be joinedupon another including -Va. pair of flexible but inelastic vstrapssecured at opposite ends to parts to be joined, rand an elastic blockheld under compression between theintermediate portions of the strapsand yieldable toypermit flexing of the straps upon relative movement ofthe parts.V Y `r Y o y2. A compressionjoint forV supporting the weightof onepart to be joined upon another including plies of flexible butinextensible fabric material, a hollow cylindrical block of'non-compressible deformable material 4inter- 1 posed between said pliesintermediate the Vends thereof and adaptedto be placed under strapswithin said flared mouth portions and deformable therebetween to permitrelativel movement of the parts, and held under com# pression bytheweight ofthe supported part. 4'. Acompresslon joint for supporting theweight of onepa-rt to be oine'd upon another including a pair offlexible but inex'tensible straps,r meansV for clamping opposite ends ofthe straps to each other yand inrengagement e with two parts `to bejoinedysaid means hav- Ving oppositely disposedflared mouth portions, alcylindrical roll of elastic material separating intermediate portionsof' the straps Within said yf iamred mouth poitionsand` 1 deformabletherebetween. to 1' permit relative movement of the* parts,l vsaidelasticinaterial being placed under initialv tension upon the clampingofthe straps to each other and baies t-i11eetf` under; Compression by theWeight of the supported'part;

y5. A compressionv j ointafor sllPPOrtingtheweight ofzone: part to bejoined upon another;y

including: a pair .of flexible vbutinextensible straps,v `means forclamping opposite ends of the Vstraps to'each other Vand in engagementwith two parts to be joinedtsaid. means hav- Y ing roppositely disposedflared vmouth portions, a cylindrical roll n of elastiofmaterial adaptedto be placed under compression by the weight of the supported partseparating intermediate portions of .the straps within sai'dfflared.mouth portions and deformabley therebetween tol permit yrelativemovement of the parts, saidroll having an opening there- 1n to.facilitate deformation.

f A compression joint vforsupporting the Weight of one part to be joinedupon another including ya pair of flexible but inextensible` istraps,clamping means engaging the ends of the straps forfconnecting thestraps toparts to be joined leaving central Iportionseof the strapsunconfi'ned, and a cylindricalelastic member-*interposed between saidcentral port1ons,def0rmable with strap flexure upon relative'mov'ementof the-parts,V and being held under compressionby the-weight of the`supported parta;y i t ,s 7. ln a spring shackle construction, thekcombination with a vehicleframeand a load suppprtmg spring; ofacompression jointbel tween the frame and one endof thespring forcarryingthe weight ofthe frame upon the spring, including :clampingelements associated with the frame 'and spring end re# spectively andprovidedlwith oppositely dis# strapsh'aving portions held bythe clampingelements and a body of elastic material located between'sai'd strapsandwithin said concavities,` forisupporting the'weight ofy the supportedframe, and kdeformable to per'-y Init relativemovementgbetween thespring elid and frame. t

f8 IH ay spring shackle 'constructiomthe'ist combination lwithtwovehicle parts to be joined, oneofwhich an axle spring,- each beingprovided with a concavity disposed op'- posite each other, ofa block ofnon-com'- pressible -deformable material floc'ated c with'- i insaidconcavities tosupport the weight of f Y posed `concwiti'es,:flexiblekbut'*inextensible i one parton the other and deformable td 'allowrelative movement of the parts,.and a pairV of flexible straps havingportions adja?k cent their opposite ends ink Contact with and'y securedto the respective parts to be joined,

v andV having portions intermediatesaid end y portions separated fromeach other and passing about the periphery of said block.

' 9.' In a spring-shackle construction, the

ycor'nbination with vehicle parts to be connected, oneof which is anaXlespring, of va compression joint between said parts held undercompression 'by the weight of the supported part, andincluding a rubbercore and Vfacings of fibrous material embracing said ,core yand heldbu-lged apart thereby between said parts, anchorages securing said strapto the said parts, and acheek-element on one of said anchorages adaptedto be contacted byl the bulged portion of the strap to prevent YeX#vlcessivelyv localized lleXure/'of thelatter as an incident'of the springaction. Y l Y y,10. In a spring-shackle construction, the` combinationwith vehicle parts to be con# nected, one of which is yan axle spring,of a compression joint connecting' said'parts to yieldingly support thevweight of one onthe other, said joint comprising facings of rubberizedfibrous material and acushion body of rubber yembracedby, `vulcanized toand g holding bulged apart the said facings, said rubber body being heldunder compression by vreason of the weightpofthe supported part. i

lIn testimony whereof affix my signature. ROSCOE vBlllllrlfll.

